Monday, May 28, 2007

Raising our children Islamically

اعوذ باللہ من الشیطٰن الرجیم
بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم

الحمد للہ رب العلمین ، والصلوۃ والسلام علی رسولہ الکریم

In the name of Allah, the most beneficient, the most merciful, master of the day of Judgement. Salutations be upon Prophet Mohammad SAW, his companions and the righteous who followed them.

Assalam o allaikum Wr. Wb my dear respected brothers, sisters and elders in Islam:

In the past few khutbas, we have learnt of some of the important aspects of Islam, such as maintaining a clean heart, to keep ourselves focused in the dhikr of Allah SWT, attachment with Quran, to keep our Iman between Hope and Fear, to struggle to achieve the Qurb of Allah SWT, Regret and Repentance, Selflessness towards our fellow brothers and respecting our parents.

All these aspects, if understood and acted upon completely will give us a condition to bring about an environment in our home that is conducive for our children to understand the deen of Allah SWT. We cannot thank enough to our creator for blessing us with these children that are the coolness of our eyes. One way we can show the gratitude to Allah SWT is by teaching these children what is expected of them as muslims; good manners, ettiquettes, good actions, and most importantly the understanding that they are the servants of Allah SWT.

The first action that one must carry out when he has made the intention to educate their children regarding the deen of Allah is asking dua from Allah SWT for his Mercy in order to fulfil this obligation.

Ibraheem AS asked Allah SWT in the Quran:

رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ
"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka'bah at Makkah); in order, O our Lord, that they may perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), so fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allâh) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.[] [14:37]



With the dua’, one must become a role model for the children. We must show them how a muslim lives his life and how he show the submission to the will of Allah SWT. We must follow the commandments of Allah SWT so that they can see the importance of such commandments. If we ourselves do not follow the teachings of the deen, and we expect them to follow all the rulings, it will not work out. A child looks upto his father or mother for advice and looks upto them to understand the way of life.

Parents can only be a role model for the children if they maintain an environment in their homes where Allah and His deen are prevailent. If the the environment in the home is a non-serious relaxed environment and the parents involve themselves in worldly activities, then that is how the child will understand the priorities of this life. The child will then make religion a part time deen without delving into deeper understanding of the actions performed.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Now when we look in our society around ourselves, we see that there are a lot of attractions and distractions for the children. The learn and apply numerous things that are happening around them. If we tell them do not do this or do not follow this, it is not enough because we know the human psychology is that when we ask someone to not do something, he is willing to do it even more to quench the thirst of the curiosity. Rather our effort should be to interact with them at every level so if they need to adopt something, they look upto us and they ask us as to what is the right course of actions.

When we are able to realize this goal in our mind, we will do the needful to bring our children into a practical fold of Islam and they will grow up to be individuals who will compete with eachother to achieve goodness.

Rasulallah SAW says in one of the hadeeth that :

“Seven (types of people) will be shaded by His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His shade”…[One of the seven mentioned was the] “youth who
grew up in the obedience of Allah SWT.”

If we, as a community, wishes to improve its upcoming generation and improve the level of goodness for them - then it is vital that we focus on raising and educating our children on goodness (tarbiyah). We need to equip them with the tools they need to succeed, namely belief (Iman) and awareness of God (Taqwa). To strengthen them with knowledge that will be of benefit to them. To instruct them towards good and convey to them the importance of dealing with their task seriously.

The stage of childhood is a very a perilous phase (in a person’s life) and the most
important. The Early Generation of Muslims were incredibly concerned with their
children from a very tender age. They would teach them and raise them up to be
righteous and good. They would carefully select teachers for their children and they
would strive to keep their children away from bad things.
We see many examples in the life of Rasulallah SAW that tells us how we should behave with our children, so that we can earn their full trust and through that trust we teach them the deen of Allah SWT.

We must be kind and compassionate to our children and should not be bothered or angered by their repeated requests. Our children are truly a test from Allah SWT of our patience and perseverance. If we carry out our duty in the steps of Rasulallah SWT, then we will see the fruits of our investment

Once a man named Iqra’ bin Habis came to the Prophet (pbuh) and saw him kiss his grandson Hasan Ibn Ali. Iqra’ bin Habis said, “Do you kiss your children?” The
Messenger replied “Yes”. Iqra’ then said, “ I have ten sons and I have never kissed
any of them!” The Prophet (pbuh) replied: “The one who is not compassionate is not shown compassion (by others)”


With the compassion and kindness towards the young, Rasulallah SAW also showed us how to safeguard the education of our children. He never missed any opportunity to guide the children to follow a right action.

‘Amr ibn Abi Salama related:
“I was a boy in the care of the Messenger of God. My hand used to go all around in the plate [where the custom would be for a group eat from one large plate]. The Messenger of God (pbuh) said to me: “O young man, begin with the name of God, eat with your right hand and eat from what is in front of you.“ [Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet (pbuh) taught Abdullah Ibn Abbas about belief (Iman) and consciousness of God (Taqwa) when he (pbuh) said to him:

“Young boy, I will teach you some words: Be mindful of God and He will be mindful of you. Be mindful of God and you will find him in front of you. If you ask, ask from God. If you seek help, seek help from God. Know that if all of humanity gathered together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you except with something that God had already written for you. If they gathered to harm you with something, they would not harm you except with something that God had already written against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried”. (Tirmidhi)

Training and teaching your child to believe firmly in the Oneness of God and firmly establishing this in their hearts will make them balanced on a psychological, intellectual and moral level. With this belief, they will become successful and righteous due to their trust and confidence in their in their Lord and Creator. With that trust and confidence, they will submit to what He has willed for them.

The level of care and consideration does not stop when these children grow up and have families of their own, rather such care and education continues.

Ali ibn Abi Talib relates an incident after he was married with Fatima RA and they had been living together for some time.

“Fatima was the daughter of the Prophet (pbuh) and she was my wife. She was the most beloved of his family to him. Once, she (may God be pleased with her) ground (grain) using a hand mill until blisters appeared on her hands. She carried water using a water skin until it scarred her neck. She swept the floor until her clothes became dusty. She lit the fire under the cooking pot until her clothes became mud coloured from the smoke and the colour of her face changed due to the heat of the oven. Fatima was inflicted by great pain because of this.

We had heard that servants had been given to the Messenger so I said to her: 'Why don't you ask your father for a servant to relieve you from these jobs?' When Fatima went to the Prophet, she found that he had company; and was too shy to talk to him, so she left the house.

Ali continues: "The next night, the Prophet came to the house while we were still under our quilt and we tried to stand up but he (pbuh) asked us to stay in our place. He (pbuh) [sat close to us to the extent that] his feet were between Fatima and myself and he (pbuh) sat near her head and said: 'Fatima, what was your need when you came to Muhammad yesterday?'

Ali added: I was afraid that she (Fatima) would not tell him, so I said: "I will inform you, Messenger of God! She carried water using a water skin until her neck was scarred, she ground (grain) using a hand mill until blisters appeared on her hands, she swept the floor until her clothes became dusty and she lit the fire under the cooling pot until her clothes were mud coloured from the smoke. So I said to her:

'Why don't ask your father for a servant to relieve you form these jobs?'”.

The Prophet (pbuh) upon hearing this, said, “Shall I teach you something that is better for you than a servant? When retiring to bed say, Subhan-Allah (Glory be to God) thirty three (33) times, Alhmadul-illah (All praise and thanks is to God) thirty three (33) times and Allahu-Akbar (God is great) thirty four (34) times. That is better for you than a maid.' (Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawood)

May Allah give us the taufeeq to raise our children according the teachings of Quran and Sunnah and may Allah protect them from all evils and ills of this life.

Wa akhiruhu Dawaana Anil Hamdulillahi Rabbilaalimeen.


Tuesday, May 22, 2007

To be Close to Allah - التقرب الی اللہ

اعوذ باللہ من الشیطن الرجیم
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

الحمد للہ رب العلمین ، والصلوۃ والسلام علی رسولہ کریم

In the the name of Allah, the most beneneficient, the most merciful and salutations be upon Prophet Mohammad SAW, the last messenger and guide to this humanity.

Assalam o allaikum My dear respected Brothers, Sisters and elders in Islam,

Many of us have determined the goals in our lives to be to bring comfortability to us and to live this live in the luxury and complete aloofness from the existance of Allah SWT. Sometimes we hear people telling us to correct our course of actions, to correct our goals in order that we maybe able to channel ourselves according to the plan that was set by our Creator. In the midst of all this hustle bustle, we forget that our true purpose was to worship our Sustainer and to earn His Maarifaa, to earn his Qurb and closeness.

Rasulallah SAW says in in one of the hadeeth Qudsi that Allah SWT says:
“…There is nothing liked by me more than what I have prescribed for my servant. And my servant will continue to come close to me by his superrogatory performances till I like him. Whenever I like him, I shall be his hearing that he hears with, his sight that he sees with, his hand that he strikes with, and his leg that he walks with; when he asks me, I will give him and when he seeks refuge in me, I will protect him.”

Rasulallah SAW has relayed through this Hadeeth Qudsi that if one channels his life to be close to Allah SWT, then Allah SWT will grant favours that none of us can imagine. Such favours, that will help us in this dunya to be successful, as well as one that will protect us from the hellfire on the day of Qayyamah.

In order to be close to Allah SWT one can engage in many physical activities that are the starting point of this journey towards our creator. These include, our Fard Salaah and their offering at correct times, our sunan and naafila, dhikr of Allah at all times, our muamlat, our ikhlaq towards His creations and so on and so forth.

Obedience to Allah SWT in its physical form is the most important of the acts. This obedience in return earns us the pleasure of Allah SWT. Allah SWT says in Quran:

وَأَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

And obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) that you may obtain mercy.[]

Obedience of Rasulallah SAW teaches us how to be obedient towards Allah SWT. His actions, his words, his methods of inviting, greeting, and bridging bonds of brotherhood is all a perfect form of interaction with the society which if followed will help us earn our goal; the closeness to Allah SWT. Allah SWT says in the Quran:


مَّنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللّهَ وَمَن تَوَلَّى فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا

He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), has indeed obeyed Allâh, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad SAW) as a watcher over them (4:80)

Apart from doing all that is commanded one has to be mindful of the things that are forbidden. One has to refrain and abstain from the unlawful and illegal activities. This abstenance will make us a morally upright person not only in the eyes of this dunya but also in the eyes of our creator.

Allah SWT says in Quran:

قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُواْ بِاللّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ


Say (O Muhammad SAW): "(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al­Fawâhish (great evil sins) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners with Allâh for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allâh of which you have no knowledge."

When a servant of Allah, who has submitted his will completely, focuses on obeying the commandments of Allah and carry out the supererogatory actions and keeps himself away from the evils and sins, then that servant of Allah gets closer to the creator.

Rasulallah SAW says in a Hadeeth by Anas RA:

“When the servant comes close to Me as far as a spand of a hand, I come to him as far as a forearm; and when he comes to Me as far as a forearm, I come to him as a far as the spand of the outspread arm; and when he comes to Me walking, I come him rushing.” (Bukhari)

My dear respected brothers and sisters,

Any deed that we do knowingly that it is against the teachings of Islam and that it is against the commandment of Allah SWT, then we should know that it makes us go farther away from our Creator.

Our Creator that knows everything about our inner self says in Quran:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein [50:16].

This verse of Quran beautifully explains to us our relationship with Allah SWT that must be realized by each one of us for our guidance and transformation.

To be close to Allah SWT means that first we should know who our Creator is and in order to know that one should know about the ourselves, who we are.

Rasulallah SAW says in a hadeeth:

“Whosoever knows himself knows his Lord.”
“man 'arafa nafsahu faqad 'arafa Rabbahu”

One must look deep inside and make an analysis of the self as well as the world around us and we will see that there is no other conclusion but to accept the bounties and mercy of Allah SWT.

Each one of us have some spiritual feelings and these spritual feelings if guided by the teachings of Quran and Sunnah, can become the means of giving us an understanding of our Creator and his creation.

Allah SWT says in the Quran:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ

Verily! Allâh will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (13:11)

So, this change has to come from within us. The first step of this journey has to be taken by us. May Allah give us the taufeeq and Istiqama to be obedient servants of Allah SWT.

Wa akhiruhu Dawaana Anilhamdulillahi Rabil Aalimeen.

Delivered at Fredericton Islamic Association, Masjid on May 18, 2007

Friday, May 11, 2007

Respect for the Parents

اعوذ باللہ من الشیطن الرجیم
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

الحمد للہ رب العلمین ، والصلوۃ والسلام علی رسولہ کریم

In the name of Allah the most beneficient, the most Merciful, Master of the day of judgement, the creator and sustainer of this world and everything therein. Salutations be upon Prophet Mohammad SAW, the last messenger and guide to the mankind and upon those who followed his teachings in words and deeds.

Assalam o allaikum Wr. Wb.

After a days hard work when we enter into our homes and our children upon the first glance leap towards us greeting, one cannot but feel all the tiredness gone in an instant. It is the innocent love and respect that these children give to us for which we have response but kindness.
Similarly, when the old parents see the smiling face of their children enter the homes, they feel nothing but happiness and joy. It is as if the day’s restlessness has been eased away in an instant at the sight of the children. The parents, when they reach in old age, they yearn to have our attention, they like to share their worries and they have a lot to say, but often times we neglect them and we get ourselves busy in other activities. We do not think for a moment, that they were the same parents who had given away their peace of mind so we can have a comfortable life.
Allah SWT says in the Quran:
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا
(17:23)
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.

My dear bothers and sisters,
Allah SWT uses the word UFF, that one should not even utter the word UFF when addressing the parents. Scholars have mentioned that if there had been a smaller word for disrespect than UFF, Allah SWT would have used it meaning that one should not be disrespectful even in the slightest.

It is reported that a young man once complained to the Prophet that his father was taking his money. The Prophet summoned the father. An old man, leaning heavily on his walking-stick, made his appearance. When asked if, what the son complained about was true, the old man stared long at the Prophet and softly replied, "O Apostle of Allah, my son used to be weak and I strong; he used to be poor and I rich, and what I had in my possession I spent for his wellbeing. Today I am poor and weak and my son cannot afford to spend even a small amount on me!" The Prophet was overwhelmed by this and a tear rolled from his eye as he spoke: "There is no stone or any hard object but cries when he hears such sentiments expressed. You (young man) and all your property belong to your parents."

The sacrifices that our parents have gone through, we can never even imagine. We cannot even count as to what effort of theirs actually made us, what we are today. What about those special prayers that they made for us and the extremeties that they had to go through to get us the best food.

The society in which we live is not fair to the parents either. Concepts such as old homes and senior citizen residences were alien to us but now some of us have dwelved in these practices too.

We are come from various backgrounds but we have something in common and that is the teachings of Islam in their core. Islam teaches us to respect our parents and to be dutiful to them. We cannot choose to just live our own life and forget about our parents. This is not what our Nabi SAW taught us.

Allah SWT says in Quran:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
(31:14)

And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.

A son came to complain about his mother's strong temper. Did she have a strong temper when she bore you ?" the Prophet asked. Did she have a strong temper when she spent numerous night sleepless, suckling and guarding you when you were ill, going out of her way to feed you ?"The young man replied that he had already rewarded for all her actions by carrying her on his back while they were on Pilgrimage to Makkah. The Prophet looked at the son and replied: "My son, (you have done a noble deed) but you can never repay one single drop of milk which she gave you."

The pain and suffering that a mother faces during the upbringing of her child cannot be explained in words but one sees that the more she engages herself in these sacrifices, the more she cares about the child. This is the rahmah that Allah SWT has put in her heart for her child. Allah SWT loves this sacrifice of the mother and when a child disobeys that mother, it is most disliked by Allah SWT.

On the authority of Imam Abu Hurairah , a man asked Rasulallah SAW:
"O Apostle of Allah, who has the most right to my companionship? To this our Nabi replied: "Your Mother. "Thrice the man asked the same question and thrice our Nabi replied,"Your Mother", until the fourth time when our Nabi replied, "Your Father".

When the parents become old, it becomes even more important for us to take care of them and give them their due rights. Just because they are not the bread winners of the family, does not mean their importance in our home is diminished. They still deserve the same respect.

Abu Hurairah (R.A.) relates that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said "May he be disgraced, may,he be disgraced, may he be disgraced." "Who?" The Sahaaba enquired. "The person whose parents, or any one of them, attain old-age during his life-time and he does not earn Paradise (by being kind-hearted and dutiful to them)!"

My dear brothers and sisters,

It is important to understand that our religion makes it obligatory upon us to be dutiful to our parents even if they are not muslim. One must respect and obey his parents regardless of their belief as long as one is not obliged to follow something that is out of the bounds of Sharia.

Asma bint Abu Bakr (R.A.) relates that her mother had come to Madinah, from Makkah, to meet her. Her mother followed the Pagan customs and beliefs, so Asma (R.A.) enquired from the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam as how she was to treat her whether she should have nothing to do with her, as she was a Pagan, or treat her like a daughter should, and show kindness to her. The Prophet told her to be kind and considerate and to behave towards her as was a mothers due, from a daughter.

Allah SWT says:
وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
(17:24)
... "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."

The rights of the parents do not come to an end if the parents have passed away. Infact, our religion teaches us to ask for their forgiveness even after they have passed away and to remember them in good words.

Abu Usaid Sa'idi (R.A.) relates that a person came to the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and asked him "O Prophet of Allah, are there some rights of my parents, on me, which I have to fulfill even after they have died?" "Yes" the Prophet replied, "These are to pray for mercy and forgiveness on their behalf, to fulfill the promises they have made to anyone, to pay due regard to the bonds of relationship from their side and to be respectful to their friends.

Rasulallah SAW has mentioned that there are some rewards that a person gets if he is dutiful towards his parents. The real reward is getting the paradise and the pleasure of Allah SWT in the akhirah for this deed but Allah SWT has promised something for this world too.

Jabir (R.A.) reports that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said "Allah prolongs the life of a person who obeys his parents and serves them devotedly." In another hadeeth, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam is reported to have said, "Obey your parents and treat them with kindness, your children will be kind and obedient to you.

Similarly, disobeying parents is one of the acts most displeasing to Allah SWT.
When asked about the major sins, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied." To associate anyone with Allah, to disobey the parents, to kill unlawfully and to give false evidence."

May Allah SWT give us the taufeeq to be dutiful towards our parents and forgive us if we have hurt them in any manner intentionally or unintentionally.

Wa akhiruhu Dawana Anilhamdulillah Rabil Aalimeen.

Delivered at Fredericton Islamic Association Masjid on May 11, 2007

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Eethar - ایثار

Audhubillahi Minshaytanirrajeem
Bismillahirrahmanirraheem

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful, Master of the Universe who gave us life and sustain us for His worship alone. Salutations be upon Prophet Mohammad SAW, the rahbar and haadi for the mankind, the messenger of the final message from Allah SWT, the Quran.

One of the qualities of the choice given to human beings by Allah SWT is the choice of preferences. We as humans, make judgement calls on some matters where we choose one thing over the other. Sometimes, these choices are in accordance with the teachings of Islam and sometimes these choices take us away from our deen.

If a person chooses the attraction of the life of this duniya or chooses to disobey Allah SWT in this duniya, then Allah has reminded us in Quran, that we must think upon this choice for it will have dire consequences.

Allah SWT says:

فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَى Oوَآثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا Oفَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىO
Then, for him who transgressed all bounds, in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allâh. And preferred the life of this world, Verily, his abode will be Hell-fire;

Then there is a choice of preference which becomes the source of making one close to Allah SWT. When we see the life of our beloved Nabi, Mohammad SAW, we will see that throughout his life he showed us the way of self-sacrifice in order to bring happiness to others. This self-sacrifice or Eethaar is loved by Allah SWT.

Every insaan has nafs and desires and genuine needs, but when such a person sacrifices his needs for the betterment of his brother, then such an action is the most beloved to Allah SWT from His slave.

When Rasulallah SAW asked the muslimeen to migrate to Madeenah, Rasulallah SAW showed them the example of this eethar by being the last people to leave Makkah with Abubakr RA. Abu Bakr RA accompanied Rasulallah SAW and became his Rafeeq in the cave of Thaur. Abubakr RA showed his self-sacrifice when he protected the prophet and was bitten by the snake. When Ali lay in Rasulallah SAW’s bed , he showed his self-sacrifice.
Allah SWT praises such a person who sacrifices himself to provide happiness to a fellow human being.

Allah SWT says in the Quran:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ رَؤُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allâh. And Allâh is full of Kindness to (His) slaves.

Unfortunately, when we look at ourselves these days, we have the least concern for the person next to us. We put ourselves in the priority before we think about someone else. We all have learnt these lessons that we should sacrifice for our brothers, but we forget them when it matters the most.

When we see the lives of the sahabah Alehim Ajmaeen, we see that there are numerous examples that will motivate us to develop the qualities of Self-sacrifice.

A Sahabi came to the Prophet and complained of hunger and distress. The Prophet didn't have any food. He then asked the sahabas that who will take this sahabi as their guest on behalf of me. One Ansar said, “I Will.” He took him home and told his wife that he is a guest of the Prophet ; we will entertain him as best as we can. The wife replied that we have enough food for the children. The Ansari said, “Put the children to sleep and when we start eating, turn the lamp off so the guest may not be aware of my not sharing with him.”
The scheme worked; the whole family remained hungry to enable the guest to eat to his fill, it was because of this incident that Allah Taa'la revealed the verse:

وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّؤُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the booty of Banî An-Nadîr), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful.

Ikramah Bin Abi Jahal was a very well known person at the time of Rasulallah SAW. Before becoming a muslim, Ikrimah had fought ferociusly against the Prophet in the battles of Badr and Uhud. He had sweared to crush the muslims in these battles but Allah SWT had other plans. When Rasulallah SAW entered Makkah as the Fateh and the makkans were given the general amnesty, Ikramah had fled Makkah in order to avoid being taken as a prisoner. His wife, Umm Hakim approached Rasulallah SAW and asked him for her husband’s safety and amnesty. Prophet SAW pardoned Ikramah and she set out to search for her husband with a slave. When she found him, she told him that Ikramah, do not run away and do not destroy your life, Mohammad SAW has pardoned you.

Ikramah asked, did you speak to Mohammad? She said yes. Then what did he say? He said that you are safe and you are pardoned.

Ikrimah came back to makkah with his wife and presented himself before Prophet SAW. He said, Mohammad (SAW), Umm Hakim tells me that you have pardoned me?
Yes, the prophet SAW said, you are safe.

Ikrimah asked,: To what do you invite?

Prophet SAW replied: I invite you to the Truth, to one Allah SWT and that I am the servant and the messenger of Allah SWT, to pray Salaat and pray Zakaat and carry out all the obligations of Islam.

At this Ikramah professed shahadah and asked forgiveness from Rasuallah SAW for all the wrongs he had committed against him in the past. Prophet SAW replied with a dua to him:
"O Lord, forgive him for all the hostility he directed against me and from all the expeditions he mounted wishing to put out Your light. Forgive him for whatever he has said or done in my presence or absence to dishonor me."
Ikramah from that day on became of the model of humility and self-sacrifice. He had learnt the real message of the Islam, the brotherhood, forgiveness and care for eachother and striving in the path of Allah SWT.

The same Ikramah, in the battle of Yarmuk fought with great courage and after the battle was over, he layed there wounded and thirstly. He called for someone who could bring water to him. The volunteer brought the water to him when he heard someone cried for water. He looked over and it was Harith bin Hisham. He said to the volunteer to take the water to him. The volunteer took the water to Harith and when Harith was about to drink, he heard Ayyash bin Abi Rabiah cry for water. At this Harith asked the volunteer to take the water to Ayyash.

When the volunteer reached Ayyash bin Rabiah, he had passed away, he came back to Harith and had passed away too and when he came back to Ikramah, he too had passed away.

These were the lives of those sahaba who breathed the teachings of Islam and would self-sacrifice themselves even when their lives were in danger. They would not think for a moment to make themselves content without thinking about others.

My dear respected brothers and sisters,

We are spending our lives in this part of the world just like other people are spending the lives around us but we say that we are special, we are blessed that we have been given the teachings of truth. If that is the case, then shouldn’t our lives exhibit those different teachings, shouldn’t our actions show that we carry the same message in our heart, that was given to the sahabas by our beloved Rasulallah SAW? If we choose to set Huqooqul Ibad as our first priority, if we choose to sacrifice our needs for others, then surely we will fulfil the rights of being muslims.

Wa ma taufiqi ilallah billah.

Delivered at Fredericton Islamic Association Masjid on May 04, 2007

Sincere Repentance

Authubillahi minashaytanirrajeem
Bismillahirraheem

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent the most Merciful, the one who gave us this life to be in His worship and to glorify His name. Salutations be upon Prophet Mohamamd SAW who was sent as the last guide to the humanity after whom there will be no more messengers and prophets.

Assalam o allaikum Brothers, sisters and my elders in Islam,

Allah SWT says in the Quran:

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَأْخُذُ الصَّدَقَاتِ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
(9:104)۔
Translation:
Know they not that Allâh accepts repentance from His slaves and takes the Sadaqât (alms, charities) and that Allah Alone is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful?

When a youth does something wrong and hurts the parents with his or her actions, often times parents just absorb that hurt and do not show their feelings because they are worried that their anger or emotion is going to make the child far from them. But when the same child realizes that he has committed a blunder by hurting his parents and he comes back to them and apologizes and promises that he or she will never do it again, that is the most joyous sight for the parents. They feel happy that they became the shoulder to lean on when the child needed it. That joy is not explainable in words, it can only be seen in the eyes of a mother or father who experiences it.

Similarly, when the slave of Allah SWT realizes that he has committed a blunder or when he realizes that he needs to make his heart light and he turns to Allah in repentance, that very action is most beloved to Allah SWT. Every time a person repents sincerely, Allah SWT forgives.

The very word repentance or Tauba in islam means ‘To Return’ and in this very sense it means ‘To Return to Allah SWT’ to mend the relationship between ourselves and Allah SWT. It is for this reason that Allah SWT calls His servants to repent so that they can bring back their relationship in complete clarity and sincerity and so that the slave of Allah can have the highest status of Iman while in obedience to Allah SWT.

In this call, Allah SWT is asking the servants to:

- Purify themselves of all the sins and mistakes by making sincere tauba. This purity is the measure of closeness between a servant and Allah SWT.
- Creat taqwa of Allah SWT in the hearts and flee to Him for He is free of all the defects
- To expect the great bounty of Allah SWT and belief that this bounty is endless.



Allah SWT says :

وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“…And turn to God all of you, O believers! So that you may be successful”


In this verse Allah SWT reminds all believers without any exception that they should return to Allah SWT for repentance so that they can be successful.

Some of us, we have developed this idea in our minds that repentance is only done when we have committed something wrong and so there is no need to ask forgiveness of Allah SWT if we have not done anything wrong.

Also, some of us believe that repentance can only be accepted by Allah SWT from those people who are in the best state of Iman and people like us who have lots of sins, will not be forgiven.

The beliefs of both of these groups of people are wrong.

A person who has complete faith in Allah and who is a true believer should not ever think that he does not need forgiveness of Allah SWT. Allah SWT has clearly said in the Quran for the people who have complete belief in Him:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ
Translation:
O you who believe! Turn to Allâh with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow

So, a person with complete faith and obedience to Allah SWT is also asked to repent to Allah SWT because Allah will grant him success through this repentance and success of the Akhirah is the Paradise.

Ibn Umar narrated that Rasulallah SAW said:
“In our gatherings we counted the Messenger of God mention a hundred times
the following- ‘O my Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance, indeed you are
the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful’

If the best of the best servants of Allah SWT, the best of the best friend of Allah SWT is asking forgiveness from Allah SWT numerous times a day then how can you or me be absolved of this act.

Now if we look at the group of people who believe that their repentance will not be accepted because of their abundance of sins, we will find that this belief is also not correct.

Allah SWT says in Quran:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
Translation:
And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you do.’

And Allah SWT says:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Translation:
Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful

Hadeeth regarding a man who killed 99 people:

It is recorded in the two Saheeh, the Hadeeth of Abu Said (radhi allahu anhu) from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) about the man who killed ninety-nine people. Later on, he regretted it and asked a worshipper among the children of Israel whether he could repent. He told him no, so he killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then he asked one of their scholars whether he could repent. The scholar said: 'What is stopping you from repenting?' Then he asked him to go to a town where Allah was worshiped. He set out for the town, but death came to him while he was on the way. The Angels of Mercy and the Angels of Punishment disputed over him, so Allah commanded them to measure the distance between the two towns; whichever he was closer to was the one to which he belonged. They found that he was closer to the town he was heading for, so the angels of mercy took him. It was said that when he was dying, he moved himself (towards the town), and Allah commanded the good town to move closer to him and the other town to move away. [See Fath al-Baree (6: 591)]

So my dear brothers, our Allah SWT is ghafoorurahim and he is Merciful and he forgives whom he wishes. If we make sincere intention to change ourselves and our habits, we must change our company and make associations with those who are righteous and we should continue to ask repentance from Allah SWT.

In order to repent from Allah SWT, there are certain conditions that we must keep in our mind.

- First and the foremost, a person should feel regret about his wrong action and he should feel sad and remorseful
- Second, he should have complete determination that he will not return to that sin again – This determination is very important.
- Third, to go away from the sin.

Inshallah if a person follows these steps then Allah SWT will accept his repentance. The ulema have also mentioned that there are some signs of the repentance of a person and one of the most visible sign is that after the acceptance of the repentance, the person would wish to do good deeds and would wish good for the others.

This repentance before Allah SWT has great rewards my dear brothers and sisters.

Allah says in Quran:
إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ (2:222)۔
Translation:
…Truly, Allâh loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves.

Imam Abu Hurairah reports that Rasulallah SAW said:
“God is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns
penitently towards Him than any one of you would be pleased on finding his lost
camel”.
Sahih Muslim

May Allah SWt give us the taufeeq to ask repentance from Allah SWT for all our previous sins and may Allah SWT give us istiqamah to follow the path of righteousness.



Delivered at Fredericton Islamic Association masjid on April 27, 2007